Judgement
Meeting neighbors
Long time no see, I wish it were under better circumstances!
So Faust, my sun, was cuddling with me an hour or so ago. He's molting and reaching maturity, so the poor thing was really itchy and was grooming. Out of NOWHERE he suddenly had a fit, turned behind him, and started attacking his longest tail feather. I tried to give him a look over but he wouldn't let me near it at all. He just kept attacking it.
I turned on the shower and gave him a quick wetting, which he seemed to adore. As soon as we were done he was gently preening himself, when all of a sudden he turned and attacked his feather again! Not a minute later it fell to the ground: The end of the shaft looks like someone just cut the feather with scissors! It was very bloody, but it's not bleeding. However, there IS blood in it, very, very noticeably. As soon as it was gone he looked pleased with himself, purred, cuddled in my shirt, and napped peacefully (he's grinding happily right now).
I'm in shock. I tried to get the powder on the shaft to help it clot, but he won't let me near there and it's just me, and I can't towel him alone as I have no use of my right arm right now.
There's an emergency avian vet open right now, about an hour away. I'm afraid to let this go until morning, because the shaft IS open, even if it's not bleeding, and I can't powder of pull it myself. My partner is willing to drive me (reluctantly, albeit).
Should I be safe rather than sorry and take him now?
So Faust, my sun, was cuddling with me an hour or so ago. He's molting and reaching maturity, so the poor thing was really itchy and was grooming. Out of NOWHERE he suddenly had a fit, turned behind him, and started attacking his longest tail feather. I tried to give him a look over but he wouldn't let me near it at all. He just kept attacking it.
I turned on the shower and gave him a quick wetting, which he seemed to adore. As soon as we were done he was gently preening himself, when all of a sudden he turned and attacked his feather again! Not a minute later it fell to the ground: The end of the shaft looks like someone just cut the feather with scissors! It was very bloody, but it's not bleeding. However, there IS blood in it, very, very noticeably. As soon as it was gone he looked pleased with himself, purred, cuddled in my shirt, and napped peacefully (he's grinding happily right now).
I'm in shock. I tried to get the powder on the shaft to help it clot, but he won't let me near there and it's just me, and I can't towel him alone as I have no use of my right arm right now.
There's an emergency avian vet open right now, about an hour away. I'm afraid to let this go until morning, because the shaft IS open, even if it's not bleeding, and I can't powder of pull it myself. My partner is willing to drive me (reluctantly, albeit).
Should I be safe rather than sorry and take him now?
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